GALLERY: Baby's first year in photo's - month by month

From day one to first birthday — at no other time do we change as much as we do in our first year of life. Such a lot happens in a relatively short space of time; blink and you might miss something!

Every baby is different and every baby develops at his or her own unique pace. We’ve described a baby’s development month-by-month in very general terms, but please don’t panic if your child masters skills at different times than those suggested here.

Bear in mind that if your baby was born prematurely, you should measure his or her development based on the date he or she was due, rather than the date he or she was born. If, at any time, you have concerns about your baby’s development, contact your general practitioner or Plunket nurse for advice.

The big zeroBaby may not appear to be doing much more than sleeping, feeding, cuddling and exercising his vocal chords with some crying here and there. However, he is actually very busy taking in the world around him. While he can’t see very far, you may notice him studying and even trying to mimic your facial expressions when you hold him close to your face.